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Monday, February 18, 2019

Top 5 Kettlebell Movements - Part 1

While getting depth in the squat is important to to involve the
glutes and hamstrings (as opposed to using the quads only), the spine should
stay neutral throughout the movement. Try not to let your butt tuck under in
the bottom position; if it does, you are likely going lower than your range of
motion allows and your lower back will take some of the load. Mobilizing the
hips and hamstrings prior to squatting can improve depth and activation of the
posterior chain.

The Goblet Squat can be utilized to build strength by completing
sets of 3-5 reps; Kettlebell Kings bells go up to 203 lbs, so there is a bell
weight to challenge almost anyone’s strength! The Goblet Squat can also
increase strength endurance and metabolic conditioning; simply use a repetition
range of 8-20 with a lighter weight. A fun variation to try is the Goblet Squat Curl,
which requires holding the bottom position while doing a bicep curl -
guaranteed to cause extra muscle pump!

1.Stand with feet about
hip width apart. Bring the kettlebell into the goblet position, grabbing hold of the
handle on other side.

2.Squat down while
keeping the chest up and weight in the heels. An easy way to determine proper
depth is to bring the elbows to the inside of the knees. The spine should stay
neutral.

3.Drive into the
ground as to come back up to standing position, contracting the glutes and
fully extending the hips.

The Turkish Get Up (TGU) is a total body movement that
builds shoulder stability and core strength. Since there are many parts to the
movement, be sure to practice the sequence with bodyweight initially. Ensure
proper and smooth execution of the entire movement before adding a kettlebell.
You should have control over each part of the movement; if someone yelled “freeze!”
at any point, you would be able to stop and maintain stability of the
kettlebell.

The TGU is best practiced in sets of 1-5 repetitions. There is a
lot of focus required, so doing a lower rep count will ensure better quality
movement. Build up your volume slowly by increasing the number of sets. I
recommend being able to do at least 3-5 perfect repetitions with the weight you
are using before moving up in weight. A perfect repetition means there is no
wobbling of the kettlebell and you have complete control of each portion of the
movement (including the return to the floor).

The TGU can be practiced in parts as well. Typically the most
challenging part of the movement is the Turkish Sit Up (also known as the Half Get Up),
which is the initial portion of the movement where you come to an upright torso
position with hips still on the floor, then slowly return to the floor. When
training toward a heavy TGU, it’s helpful to work on the TSU with heavier
weights than what you would use for the full TGU. Besides the TSU, other parts
of the TGU to isolate would be the pass through of the leg from the TSU into
the Kneeling Windmill, the Kneeling Windmill,
and the Overhead
Lunge.

1.Start lying on your side in the fetal position.
Insert your hand fully through the kettlebell handle.

2.Roll onto your back, keeping both hands over the
kettlebell handle and elbow tight to the body. Set the legs about 45 degrees
apart, with the leg bent and foot flat on the side you are holding the
kettlebell. The other leg should be straight.

3.Press the kettlebell up until the arm is straight
and the weight of the kettlebell is balanced over the shoulder. Remove the free
arm and place it on the floor, palm down and about 45 degrees from the body.

4.Use the elbow of the free arm and the foot of the
bent leg to drive into the ground and bring yourself up onto your elbow, then
up onto your hand.

5.Lift the hips, then pass the straight leg
underneath until the knee is under the hip. Keep your eyes on the kettlebell.

6.Bring the torso up straight, then pivot the back
leg so you are in a lunge position.

7.Drive into the heel of the front leg to come up
to a standing position.

8.To reverse the movement, step back with the leg
opposite to the side you’re holding the kettlebell and come back into the
bottom of the lunge position (knee resting on the floor).

9.Pivot the back foot in, then slide the free arm
down the thigh and onto the floor directly beneath the shoulder. Pass the back
leg through the free arm and the front leg and set your hips down onto the
floor.

10.Lower down to the elbow. As you lower all the way
down to the floor, feather the kettlebell across the body slightly to slow its
descent.

The Bottoms Up Press (BU Press) is an upper body pushing exercise
that encourages proper mechanics for the shoulder and activates the
neuromuscular system. Due to how hard the handle must be gripped during this
movement, muscles that wouldn’t contract on a regular press are suddenly
brought to life, i.e. rotator cuff, core, glutes, lats.

Since the BU Press is much harder than a regular press, start
with a light weight and let the body adapt before trying anything heavy. The BU
Press can be utilized in a training program like any other upper body pushing
exercise -- and may actually be better than other pushing exercises for anyone
with shoulder pain. To build muscular endurance, train higher repetitions with
lighter weight. To increase strength, train lower repetitions with heavier
weight.

Before even attempting the BU Press, you should know how to fail out of
the movement safely. If you fail before the kettlebell reaches
shoulder level, you can simply use the free hand to prevent the bell from
hitting you. If you lose control of the bell in the top position, simply let
the bell fall and step in the opposite direction so the bell drops onto the
floor. Another precursor to doing the BU Press is to have a solid and stable BU Clean.
If you perform a poor BU Clean, the BU Press that follows will not go well! You
should be able to stabilize the kettlebell in the BU rack position before
attempting a press overhead.

1.Start in a standing position with feet about hip
width apart and a kettlebell in front of your feet.

2.Hinge at the hips and grab onto the kettlebell
handle, then hike the kettlebell back between the legs. Fully extend the hips
and bring the kettlebell into the rack position, with bottom side up. Stabilize
the bell here first; if you have a bad clean, re-clean the kettlebell before
attempting the press.

3.From the bottoms up rack position, inhale and
engage the lats by pulling the shoulder down and away from the ear. Press the
bell overhead as you exhale.

4.Hold the bell in the top position for 1-2 seconds
before slowly lowering the bell down with control, again engaging the lats by
pulling the shoulder down.

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NOTICE

Nothing contained in this Blog should be construed as medical advice. Always consult with your primary care physician or a medical professional prior to beginning any new exercise routines, new nutrition plans, taking new supplements, or putting any provided in this blog into personal practice!